An abnormal dipyridamole thallium/sestamibi fails to predict long-term cardiac events in vascular surgery patients.

Recent data demonstrate that dipyridamole-thallium (DTHAL) and sestamibi (DMIBI) are not predictive of adverse perioperative cardiac events in moderate-risk patients (one or more Eagle risk factors) undergoing major elective vascular surgery. Less data are available regarding the ability of DTHAL/DMIBI to predict adverse cardiac events on long term follow-up. We sought to determine whether an abnormal DTHAL/DMIBI is predictive of adverse cardiac events on long-term follow-up in moderate-risk patients undergoing major elective vascular surgery.

Correlation between admission laboratory values, early abdominal computed tomography, and severe complications of gallstone pancreatitis.

Background: Our previous study demonstrated that Balthazar grade D or E pancreatitis on early abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan correlated with severe complications of gallstone pancreatitis (GP).

Objective: To compare the efficacy of individual admission laboratory criteria, multiple criteria scoring systems and CT scan for predicting severe complications of GP.

Methods: Consecutively admitted patients with GP underwent selective early CT scanning (<72 hours).

Simplified admission criterion for predicting severe complications of gallstone pancreatitis.

Hypothesis: Simple admission criteria (white blood cell count, > or =14. 5 x 10(9)/L; blood urea nitrogen level, > or =4.3 mmol/L [> or =12 mg/dL]; heart rate, > or =100 beats per minute; and serum glucose level, > or =8.

Dipyridamole-thallium/sestamibi before vascular surgery: a prospective blinded study in moderate-risk patients.

Purpose: This study assessed in a prospective, blinded fashion whether a reversible defect on dipyridamole-thallium (DTHAL)/sestamibi (DMIBI) can predict adverse cardiac events after elective vascular surgery in patients with one or more clinical risk factors.

Methods: Consecutive patients with one or more clinical risk factors underwent a preoperative blinded DTHAL/DMIBI. Patients with recent congestive heart failure (CHF) or myocardial infarction (MI) or severe or unstable angina were excluded.

Fibrin glue reduces intra-abdominal adhesions to synthetic mesh in a rat ventral hernia model.

Postoperative intra-abdominal adhesions are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In this study, the effect of topical fibrin glue (FG) on adhesion formation in a rat model was investigated. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats underwent midline laparotomy.